The Emma Test
Standard forum
Posted on July 20, 2016, 8:54 a.m. by clayperce
The Emma test is based on a great (IMO) article by Emma Handy. In it, she offered a bunch of deck-building considerations, with the idea that while no single deck could reasonably pass the entire test, a deck that can answer most of these questions has a decent chance.
I'd love your thoughts on ...
- "Test questions" she missed
- Cards that offer answers to specific questions
- Archetypes (or even deck lists) that may actually pass the test
Thanks much!
Considerations for SOI Standard
- Am I soft to Reflector Mage?
- Can I attack into Archangel Avacyn Flip mana?
- Do I fold to a single Languish?
- Do I have enough things to do on turn 2 to prevent Duskwatch Recruiter Flip from flipping?
- Do I have enough draws to reasonably compete with Mono-White Humans's triple-one-drop draw?
- Can I reasonably race a ramp deck's Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger?
- Can I keep up with a curve of Nissa, Voice of Zendikar into Gideon, Ally of Zendikar?
(Possible) Considerations for EMN Standard
- Can I quickly kill Spell Queller?
- Do I have a way to get around Ishkanah, Grafwidow?
- Will my removal spells NOT wipe my side of the battlefield if used on an opponent's Mirrorwing Dragon?
- Can I exile Gisela, the Broken Blade instead of just killing her (assuming Bruna, the Fading Light is a thing)?
- Will my sweepers NOT be countered by Selfless Spirit?
- Can my manabase handle a Thalia, Heretic Cathar deck?
- Are my Creatures strong against Incendiary Flow?
- Are my cards strong against Tamiyo, Field Researcher's -2?
I wouldnt really name this test after emma its not like she made it up these are just common ways to base how good a card is in a certain format. Anyway I think an important thing to keep in mind is having removal for emerge cards. Namely Elder Deep-Fiend and mindbender because they survive most creature attacks, grasp, ultimate price, etc. and if you arent playing Reflector Mage you need to have something like Declaration in Stone or Murder
July 20, 2016 2:44 p.m.
Zaueski,
Awesome; thanks!
EmblemMan,
Sure, but she took the time to write them down. Plus I didn't really want to title the post "Just common ways to base how good a card is in a certain format" ;-)
Great point on Elder Deep-Fiend; thanks!
July 21, 2016 9:46 a.m.
nearly every one of these questions tells me to make a straight burn deck, which I thought would be kinda weak in this standard, but maybe its what the doctor ordered
Zaueski says... #2
Some more that I came up with in testing...
Can I keep my hand relatively free of threats to my side from an Emrakul, the Promised End?
Can I play/attack into Spell Queller and Nebelgast Herald mana?
Will I get blown out if my opponent flashes in a Heron's Grace Champion? (This one is more for once CoCo rotates but it could still be relevant now)
Do I have enough Combat Tricks to kill an Eternal Scourge?
July 20, 2016 12:28 p.m.